The Arab American News
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A distinctly Tunisian women’s day: New York celebration explores Arab World feminism
NEW YORK — Serving up a women's rights movement retrospective with a dollop of harissa, a New York celebration of feminism last month had a distinctly Tunisian kick. Director of the NYC Tunisian Cultural and Information Center Naima Remadi speaks during a celebration of Tunisian Women's Day in New York on Aug. 20. The NYC...
Thousands of worshippers shut out of East Jerusalem
September 5th, 20090 QALANDIA (IPS) — The future of East Jerusalem and of Palestinian access to it has again been brought under the spotlight. In this 2008 BBC photo, West Bank Palestinians wait to be granted access through the Israeli checkpoint at Kalandia so they can attend Friday prayers in the al-Aqsa mosque in Israeli-occupied East...
Audacity of hope falters: Settlement freeze no longer required?
September 5th, 20090 The U.S. has decided to be "flexible" regarding its once touted call for a total Israeli freeze on the expansion of its occupied territories' settlements, all illegal under international law. An Israeli soldier pushes away a foreign activist who arrived to protest the demolition of a man-made reservoir on a Palestinian farm near...In Syria, delicate preservation work is pushing against profit-driven speed
DAMASCUS — It claims to be the world's oldest capital city, outlived only by Aleppo, Syria; and Jericho, on the West Bank. The proof is there, in Mesopotamian texts that mention Damascus and in a deep urban foundation of streets, houses, and sewers from every civilization, piled on top of one another. An old Damascus...Israel threatens Lebanon and Obama
Suddenly they were all over the place, arriving not as singles but in battalions. Many, like Maryland's 5th District Rep Steny Hoyer, had been to Israel nearly a dozen times; career stalwarts once more showing fealty to Israel's brutal occupation of Palestine while lamely telling their constituents that they were on a legitimate "fact...
This Ramadan, give without fear
September 5th, 20090 American Muslims face unique and troubling challenges in trying to fulfill their religious obligations to give charity or zakat. The laws meant to serve the legitimate purpose of preventing the diversion of humanitarian aid to terrorist groups are, instead, overly broad, ambiguous and constitutionally suspect. Sweeping powers granted to...
Swine flu: 10 things you need to know
September 5th, 20090 ATLANTA — Since it first emerged in April, the global swine flu epidemic has sickened more than 1 million Americans and killed about 500. It's also spread around the world, infecting tens of thousands and killing nearly 2,000. This summer, the virus has been surprisingly tenacious in the U.S., refusing to fade away as flu viruses...Rosen accuses AIPAC of espionage
Steven J. Rosen's defamation lawsuit against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is now entering a critical phase. A series of cross-filings stakes out the critical court terrain. Rosen intends to show that obtaining and leveraging classified U.S. government information in the service of Israel is common practice at...
Support needed for Iraqi child’s surgeries
September 5th, 20090 The old military phrase "going beyond the call of duty" means different things to different people, and oftentimes, it isn't rewarded with a medal or a ribbon. Twelve-year-old Mohammed was brought to Michigan from Iraq by a U.S. military officer for reconstructive surgery. He's undergone four procedures and is in need of three...DSO to give free concerts in Dearborn, Detroit, Oakland County
New Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Leonard Slatkin. DETROIT — The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has scheduled a series of free concerts in Dearborn, Detroit and Beverly Hills between Sept. 14 and 18. The "DSO in Your Community" performance in Dearborn is set for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15 in the Michael A. Guido...Creative entrepreneurship keeps businesses going
Sam Bazzi, at 24, has been a business owner for over 10 years. Sam Bazzi, L, and Mike Chammout That's right. He was 14 years old when he started his own valet service. Before he was able to drive, he was booking gigs, hiring valets and catching rides to events from his employees. Bazzi said he saw others making money...Protest against Starbucks draws bypasser support
Protestors demonstrated against apartheid outside Cobblestone Farm in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, Sept. 2 during a meeting between Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and employees. The group believes Schultz contributes large sums of money to support occupation in Israel. Photo courtesy of Blaine Coleman The city of Ann Arbor has long...Grocery store tax incentive has potential to create jobs, boost sales
LANSING – The Michigan Departments of Agriculture (MDA) and Treasury this week released information on Public Act 231, a new tool geared to support grocery store development and give citizens better access to fresh food through tax incentives. Under Public Act 231, certain retail food establishments that expand, improve or open in...Lebanese give to needy communities
For the past four years, the Future Movement USA's Michigan group in Dearborn has held a traditional iftar during Ramadan, and it was always a hit. But this year, in light of current economic troubles, the group decided to spend their money differently. Future Movement Michigan volunteers pack boxes full of essential food items...There are more slaves today than at any time in human history
The world suffers global recession, enormous inequity, hunger, deforestation, pollution, climate change, nuclear weapons, terrorism, etc. To those who say we're not really making progress, many might point to the idea that at least we've eliminated slavery. But sadly that is not the truth. One hundred forty-three years after......
Israel evicts Palestinians to the street, moves Israelis into homes
EAST JERUSALEM (IPS) — Israel's continued policy of Judaizing East Jerusalem in order to establish facts on the ground before the future of that part of the city is decided, has left dozens of Palestinians homeless and sleeping on the streets. Israeli soldiers scuffle with Palestinian and foreign peace activists after they...Arab Americans trapped in Gaza hope for way out
For the past six weeks, Hani Almadhoun has been trapped in Gaza. His attempts to return to his home in Washington, DC have ended in failure, and it is not clear when he will get out. Palestinians gather near a tunnel bombed by Israeli aircraft in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip August 25, 2009. Israeli aircraft bombed a tunnel......
Obama steers the peace train on
JERUSALEM — It isn't formal yet, but it's bound to be soon — within the coming six weeks, Palestinians and Israelis will again be sitting down around the peace table. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) shakes hands with U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell during their meeting in London August 26, 2009, in this...Critical healthcare fails to recover
RAMALLAH — The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that unless the siege of Gaza is lifted and a political solution implemented, Gaza's badly damaged health system will go from very bad to worse. Palestinians walk past the UNRWA office, where representatives of Palestinian refugee camps conduct a sit-in protest against...Iraqi-Syrian feud political suicide for Maliki
Relations between Iraq and Syria plunged abruptly on Tuesday after Baghdad recalled its ambassador to Damascus over the recent bombings in the Iraqi capital in which 100 Iraqis were killed. Iraqi ambassador in Syria Ala al-Jawadi speaks during a news conference at his office in Damascus August 25, 2009. Iraq and Syria recalled...Copts split over presidential scion
CAIRO (IPS) — Leaders of Egypt's Coptic Christian Church have voiced support for Gamal Mubarak, son of President Hosni Mubarak, as preferred candidate for president. Concurrently, however, some Coptic activists are calling for demonstrations against what they see as official state bias against Christians. Gamal Mubarak......
Eliminating the rallying cry of extremists
All Islamic groups are allied with al Qaeda, right? That has certainly been the wisdom accepted by so many in the post 9/11 years. And though I am an American Palestinian Christian, it is assumed that I am Muslim and therefore a Hamas supporter. This was made clear to me by a Detroit-area talk show host earlier this year when he...Swine flu hits Ramadan gatherings
CAIRO (IPS) — Muslims marked the start of the fasting month of Ramadan Saturday, but the global H1N1 flu pandemic has put a damper on religious festivities throughout the Middle East. "Everyone is worried about swine flu," says Anwar Mohamed, a Yemeni antique dealer. "We have been told to avoid crowds, but everywhere there are......
Boycott targets ugly side of beauty industry
As the dust settled on the destroyed homes, schools and lives in the aftermath of Israel's assault on Gaza earlier this year, mainstream human rights groups from Amnesty International to Physicians for Human Rights/Israel issued reports condemning Israel's attack and alleging that the Israeli government and the Israeli Defense Forces had...Woman sues judge over hijab incident
Raneen Albaghdady, left seated, and the Council of American-Islamic Relations-Michigan have filed a federal lawsuit against Wayne County Third. PHOTO: Nick Meyer/TAAN A Muslim woman from Dearborn Heights who originally went to court for a simple name change filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Wayne County Circuit Judge......
